


all my stars aligned

by ndnickerson



Category: Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Dating, Declarations Of Love, F/M, Gift Giving, Kissing, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, Romance, Summer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-01 23:11:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11496753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ndnickerson/pseuds/ndnickerson
Summary: Ned comes to a realization during the first week of summer.





	all my stars aligned

It happened the first week of summer.

Ned had stayed awake until four o'clock in the morning the night before, just for the sheer joy of doing so. Nancy was visiting her aunt in New York, and he had considered begging his parents to let him ask if he could join her, but in the end he had decided not to. Her father was with her, and they likely wouldn't have much time alone. Though Nancy had told him she would miss him, though she had said she wished he could come, they had never gone anywhere together outside Illinois, had never traveled together by themselves.

Not yet, anyway. He hoped.

He had stayed awake talking to friends online, and then he had been marathoning a show, and then it had been 3:52 and he had seriously considered not even going to sleep. But Nancy would be home by the weekend, and his parents always had errands for him while he was home for the summer. He had slept until lunchtime. It had been great.

He missed his girlfriend. It was summer, and he had imagined lazy days, their fingers twined together, movies and ice cream and long kisses, three months of spending time alone... and he had known how completely improbable that likely was. Nancy could stay home all day long, and a mystery would still find her. She attracted it, in the same way some people were clumsy or incredibly unlucky, the way some people managed to have all the luck in the world.

And she _was_ lucky. Ned fully believed that. He had been there to see it, a few times, and had heard so many stories from Nancy and her friends, times she had barely escaped danger or serious injury. She was good.

She wasn't just a good detective. She was a good girl. She was smart and beautiful and brave...

Ned caught himself staring into space, and gave his head a little shake. His mother had asked him to take some books back to the library for her, and pick up a few she had requested. He carried a pile of books wrapped in clear plastic protective covers in his arms, with a handwritten list tucked into the top one.

The library had recently been remodeled, and Ned took his time as he approached the circulation desk. Adults and teenagers were seated at sleek flat-panel computer monitors. A toddler hurtled past Ned's knees, making happy chirping noises as he headed toward the children's section, a picture-book clutched to his chest. His father rushed behind him. Everything just felt fresh and clean and modern, not as claustrophobic as it had been before.

It made Ned want to browse the shelves, but he didn't have time. He had a few more errands to run before he headed home for dinner. As the librarian found the books Ned's mother had requested, he imagined coming here with Nancy, his arm slung around her waist, her reddish-gold hair up in a high ponytail and brushing against his shoulder as she looked over the mysteries. He imagined her sparkling sapphire-blue eyes laughing up into his, fringed in reddish lashes, her soft warm cheek under his palm. She was perfect, and at just the thought of her, Ned's heart rose.

"Here you go."

The librarian was looking at Ned expectantly. He startled a little, clearing his throat, and thanked the librarian as he picked up the books.

Boy, he had it bad.

After a stop to pick up two bags of potting soil and another pair of gardening gloves, then another stop at the bank, Ned arrived at his last stop. In downtown Mapleton, parking was at a premium, and he ended up in front of the old-fashioned soda fountain. He had been there several times; it was one of the first places he had ever taken Nancy, both before and after they had started exclusively dating.

Only a few days until he would be seeing her again. Ned couldn't wait.

A tiny bell jingled as Ned stepped through the antique mall's front door. It was a strange mix of old and new, expensive and cheap, modest and gaudy, playful and distinguished. Vintage upholstered sofas perched on slender legs stood beside crystal-fringed antique lamps. Sun-faded VHS slipcases were stacked beside rejected secondhand cookbooks and rust-specked vintage trucks and tractors. He had come through several places like this, with both his mother and with Nancy. His mother was generally looking for gifts or something interesting for their house. Nancy was almost always tracking down stolen family heirlooms or misplaced treasures.

_Nancy_. Everything reminded him of her.

Three people were in front of Ned in line, so he took a quick look around. He loved the idea of finding something nice for his girlfriend. Ned's parents exchanged gifts often, and Ned didn't even know how many times his father had come home with bouquets or small pots of growing flowers his mother could add to her garden or the back porch greenhouse. On Valentine's Day, on Christmas day, on her birthday, Ned's mother often smiled lovingly into his father's eyes when she opened a small velvet box and saw the jewelry inside. Brooches, earrings, pendants and bracelets crowded her jewelry box.

That made him think of something. Ned strolled deeper into the shop. The converted warehouse had been divided into stalls for antique dealers, even though Ned spotted stuff that could be considered neither antique nor vintage, like new vinyl figurines, and board games that he knew they had at home. Porcelain dolls wrapped in thin plastic bags stared out at shoppers, and pose-able dolls in battered, clouded boxes. He almost went through a display of baseball cards, just in case he spotted any from his father's favorite team, but made a note to come back when he would have more time.

He found what he was looking for, though, after considering a few more expensive options: a jewelry display rack his mother could hang from the back of her closet door. It had been marked down, and Ned thumbed through the cash in his pocket. He easily had enough to cover it, and he grinned as he tucked it under his arm.

Ned was glancing up from checking his watch when he saw a bookcase crowded with action figures, and he was immediately drawn to it. Maybe he could buy one for one of his younger relatives... but when he glanced through them, none were appealing enough.

Right beside that booth, he saw a large lighted display case set up like a table and crowded with what had to be costume jewelry, based on the prices. His mother could probably name what all the stones were pretending to be. Ned only knew about sapphires because that was the color of his girlfriend's eyes, and topaz, because that was the color of his mother's eyes. And diamonds, because those winked from his mother's engagement ring and her favorite pair of earrings—and the family engagement ring that had been passed down from Ned's great-grandparents to him.

He was about to walk away, his stomach rumbling in anticipation of dinner, when he stopped and glanced back at a small rack perched on top of the display. A few silver necklaces were dangling there, and Ned touched one, then grinned. He had to get it.

Would Nancy like the present? He considered that, as he carefully removed it from the display and brushed the price tag with his thumb. She didn't often wear much jewelry, although her father had given her a gorgeous tennis bracelet for her sixteenth birthday. She had been excited to show Ned on their next date.

And Ned had been happy for her, but he had felt something strange, too. He had wanted her to react that way when he gave her a present. He had been almost jealous of the way Nancy talked about her father, which was ridiculous. Of course she was close to her father; she had no one else in her life, not really.

He shook it off, taking the necklace and the jewelry case to the cashier, but he still felt unsettled.

That night, a message popped up on Ned's phone as he was clearing the table. He felt it vibrate for a second in his back pocket.

His mother gave him a smile as she took the dishes out of his hands. "I'll take care of it," she told him. "After that thoughtful gift you gave me today. That was very sweet, honey."

Ned couldn't help flashing a grin at his mother. His heart was warm with pride. "I'm glad you like it, Mom," he said. "But I'll load the dishwasher for you, so you can go set it up."

His mother gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You two spoil me," she said with a smile. "All right, I will. Let me know when the timer goes off, all right?"

He had just slotted the dinner plates into the dishwasher when his phone vibrated again.

_Party at my house Saturday night!_

Ned grinned as he read the notification. Brad's parties were always great. The second message had come from Ned's best friend Mike, who was planning on attending and wanted to know if Ned would be coming too.

Ned put his phone back in his pocket and finished loading the dishwasher. Mike's older cousin was attending Emerson University, and Mike would be starting there in a few months. Ned was going to miss his best friend, but he had already started putting together his own application. He didn't like the idea of being so far from his family and most of his other friends, and from Nancy... but he had fallen in love with the campus during a visit before he and Nancy had met. It seemed more perfect than anywhere else he had visited.

And being at Emerson... maybe Nancy would be able to visit him there, and they could spend time alone together, without curfews, without chaperones, without the audience of a movie theater or a restaurant around them. Ned loved the idea.

He just loved being around her. He loved the sound of her laughter, the way she grinned at him, the way her head fit perfectly into the hollow of his shoulder. Mike didn't understand how Ned was able to let Nancy spend so much time investigating mysteries, but to Ned, he wasn't _letting_ her do anything. She just lit up when she was tracking down clues and helping people, and Ned was happy to help her when he could.

He didn't just want to be an occasional observer and helper in her life, though. Ned wanted to be around her as often as he could.

As though she had sensed he was thinking about her, less than thirty seconds after Ned had started the dishwasher and poured himself a glass of water, his phone rang. He saw Nancy's smile on his phone screen and smiled as he answered.

"Hi, Nan."

"Hey!" She sounded incredibly happy. "What's up?"

"Not much. How's the case going?"

He was pretty sure he knew what she was about to say, but he still smiled at the sheer joy in her voice. "I caught him today! It was so exciting!"

"Tell me all about it."

Nancy never needed much encouragement when it came to that, and Ned went to his room after he'd checked in with his mother, so he could hear Nancy without distractions. She had been helping a lost young woman locate her relatives, and in the process had also been working to catch a pickpocket who targeted commuters on the subway. Ned listened with both growing alarm and admiration as Nancy described her attempts to catch the pickpocket, and to find the missing relatives.

"And you're okay? He didn't hurt you?"

"No," she said, and Ned knew her well enough to know what was coming. "I mean, I scraped up my elbows, but I'm fine. So we'll be back home Thursday."

"And I can't wait. Speaking of... want to go to a party with me on Saturday night?"

"That should be fine," she said. "A party! What kind of party?"

"I don't know. It's at Brad's house..." But Nancy hadn't yet been to Brad's house. "He has a pool and this insane game room, but I think Mike said the party would be outside."

"So maybe a pool party."

"Maybe. It's not starting until eight..."

"Hmm. Sounds intriguing." Nancy chuckled. "I'm excited. I'm more excited to see you again, though."

"Same to you. I'm glad you've had fun, but I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too. Maybe next time... maybe next time you can come with me."

Ned's heart started beating hard. He was warm with happiness. "I'd love that," he told her.

They talked for another hour, about the errands he had run, about the show he had just been watching, about everything and nothing. By the time they said goodnight to each other, Ned felt so impatient to see her that he couldn't stay still. He swiftly changed clothes and called to his parents that he was going for a run and would be back soon.

The sky in the neighborhood was fading from pale blue to deep indigo when Ned began to run, slow to warm up and then into the pace he used to keep fit during the football and basketball seasons. He could hear neighbor kids playing in their yards, but most yards were empty, golden light spilling onto verdant grass from occupied homes. He could smell burned charcoal, grilled meat. The air was still warm, and the first few stars were twinkling above him.

Everything was the same. But the world had shifted for him in the past hour, and he was seeing everything through new eyes. He felt both fully awake and alive for the first time, and completely terrified.

He didn't know what to do. He wasn't sure if he should even do anything. But the longer he thought about it, the more certain he was that he couldn't hold it in. Not anymore, not knowing.

_But this could ruin everything._

The trembling in his chest, his certainty, didn't seem to care about that. And she missed him. She talked about what they would do once they were together. She...

She was perfect.

He ran for an hour, turning it over and over in his mind. From the moment he had seen her, from their first meeting... well, he had definitely never met anyone like her, not even close. Bess and George were adventurous, but Nancy was something else. And Ned was pretty sure he should be happy, but he wasn't. He felt sick, almost—almost scared.

He needed to see her again. And maybe seeing her, holding her hand, gazing into her beautiful eyes, would make him feel whole again.

On the night of the party, Ned dressed in a navy t-shirt and jeans. His aftershave smelled like pine and a hint of musk, and he was careful not to overdo it. He was also careful when he slid the small, flat package into his pocket.

Nancy wore a teal and white sundress and sandals, and she gave Ned a genuine delighted grin as she rushed down the front steps of her father's house. When she reached him she slid her arms up over his shoulders, tipping her head back to look up at him, and he grinned before he gave her a sweet chaste kiss. Her father and Hannah might be watching, after all.

"I missed you," he told her softly.

She smiled at him. "I missed you too," she whispered. "But we have the summer..."

He nodded, clasping her hand until they reached his car. He opened her door for her, and she flashed him a smile.

The street leading up to Brad's house was already lined with cars, and several couples and small groups of teenagers were walking toward it. Nancy and Ned joined them, their hands clasped between them. Her reddish-gold hair was half pulled back, and a small silver heart dangled from each earlobe. She looked more beautiful every time he saw her—and he realized yet again that she was everything. She was more than he had ever dared dream.

Brad's parents had set up a massive snack table near the pool, and several heavy-weight folded blankets were stacked near the patio. Several teens had come in their swimsuits, but Nancy hadn't, so Ned and Nancy sampled some of the treats and served glasses of punch. The main event for the night, once the sun had completely gone down, was a movie projected against the side of the house. The guests who had been in the pool wrapped themselves in thick, fluffy towels and settled down on the grass with friends or significant others to watch the movie, awestruck by the new experience. It felt almost like Ned imagined going to a drive-in might have been.

Once Nancy and Ned joined them, much of the lawn had already been claimed. Ned spotted a likely spot near the tall wooden fence marking the perimeter of the yard, and Nancy grabbed one of the few remaining blankets. They spread it out, and Ned sat down first, with his back against the fence. His heart skipped a beat as Nancy kneeled down in front of him. "Here," he offered, patting the blanket.

Nancy glanced into his face, the beginning of a smile on her own, then sat down where he had indicated, between his open legs. She leaned back so that her back was against his chest, and Ned slid his arms around her. They had shared long embraces, but this, sitting this way with her for an entire movie, felt incredibly intimate.

And it was. She rested her head against his shoulder, and he could feel her breathing. Her arms were smooth, and her skin was so warm. He absolutely loved it. When he kissed the crown of her head, she made a soft happy sound.

Half an hour into the movie, Ned realized he wasn't really paying much attention to it at all. Instead, he was just savoring the euphoria of holding Nancy this way. Surely they could do this, the next time they were alone at his house or hers, watching a movie together. He just—he didn't want to not be in contact with her. He wanted this as often as she would allow it.

Nancy shifted in his arms, making a soft sound as she turned a little to look into his face. All around them, couples and groups of friends were focused on the movie, although some of the couples had stretched out on their blankets and were lazily making out, their shadowed bodies bathed in blue light from the screen. Back here, under the shadow of a tall oak tree, Nancy and Ned were even less likely to be seen.

"I can't concentrate," she whispered.

"Me either," Ned whispered. He searched her face, wondering if his holding her was just as distracting for her as it was for him. He hoped she was enjoying it as much as he was.

She shifted a little more, then reached up to cup his cheek under her palm, gazing into his eyes. He saw the pale blue light flicker across her face, but nothing short of a bomb exploding could have made him look away. She smiled slightly, just the barest quirk of her lips, and then her gaze went from his eyes to his lips and back again.

Ned's arms were still loosely slung about her waist. He drew his fingertips up her spine, and Nancy shivered, tilting her head.

Ned's heart beat hard as he leaned down and gave her a slow, sweet kiss, and her lips parted under his. All around them, the world ceased to exist. All Ned knew was the warmth of her skin, the feel of her breath against his cheek, the yield of her mouth under his. She had told him, after their first kiss, that she had never kissed anyone else, that she wasn't really sure what to do. Now, though...

He had thought that holding her as they watched the movie had been incredible. Then, slowly, by degrees, he and Nancy ended up stretched out on the blanket, exchanging slow, sweet kisses, his arm draped over her side and her palm against his cheek. His other arm pillowed her head, and he could feel her warmth, and—oh, he wanted to hold her, but he was afraid to do it. It seemed like too much, and if she jerked away, shocked or disapproving, he didn't know what he would do.

Nancy broke the kiss and released a long, dreamy sigh. Her eyes were shining as she gazed into his face. "Hey Ned," she whispered, and smiled.

"Hey gorgeous," he told her with a grin, and was rewarded by the soft blush that swept across her cheeks. He brought his free hand up and brushed a stray hair from her velvet-smooth skin.

"Is this okay?"

"As long as it's okay with you," he replied immediately, softly. God, he so badly wanted to just keep stroking her, feeling the softness of her skin under his fingertips.

She smiled again. "Boy, the ground is hard, isn't it."

"Here." Ned sat up and rearranged the blanket to give her a little more padding, then guided her so her head rested in the hollow of his shoulder. She cuddled against him, her arm draped over him and his free hand at her slender waist. When Nancy wanted another kiss, she moved up and brushed her lips gently against his, and Ned pulled her into a one-armed embrace as he returned it.

The party was ending at midnight, and when the movie finally ended, the crowd cheered and sluggishly began to collect blankets and soda cups. Some of them stripped down to swimsuits and headed for the pool, hoping to splash around and play in the time they had left. Nancy and Ned sat up, smoothing their clothes and hair, trying to act like they had actually been watching the movie. A few of the other blankets were still spread over the ground with couples spooned up together, fast asleep.

Ned couldn't help wanting that too. To feel her relaxing in his arms all night...

Nancy smiled when she glanced over at him. "I guess we'll have to head home soon, huh."

Ned nodded. Then he remembered the small package in his pocket, and swallowed.

"But first, um... I was running an errand for my mom, and I found something. I hope you like it." His palm was damp as he dug in his pocket and pulled out the gift. "I—it's not as nice as the tennis bracelet..."

Nancy shook her head, smiling at him again. "I don't care about that," she told him softly. "Thank you. It's so sweet of you..."

She opened the package and pulled out the slender silver chain. A four-leaf clover charm dangled from it, and a tiny white stone was set in its center. Ned knew it wasn't a diamond, that it was sterling silver if anything, and felt painfully aware of how inadequate she might think it was.

She glanced from the necklace into his eyes, her eyebrows rising slightly.

"I—I just always want you to be lucky," he said. "So that you'll always come back to me safe and sound."

She gave him a smile that turned into a grin. "Really?"

He nodded.

"Will you put it on me?" She swept her hair up off her neck, turning a little.

Ned flushed with pride as he carefully fastened it around her neck. She let her hair tumble down and glanced down at it, touching it gently.

"I love it. Thank you so much," she told him, almost shyly.

Ned nodded. "I—I'm so glad you like it. And I... realized something while you were gone."

She raised her eyebrows again, her beautiful blue eyes searching his as she sought any hint of what he was thinking. The thought of her reaction very nearly stopped him, but he took a deep breath, rubbing his damp palm on his jeans before reaching for her own hand.

"I... I love you," he said, his gaze locked to hers. "I can't stop thinking about you, and I want to be around you all the time..."

He let himself trail off, afraid that if he said too much, he would just overwhelm her. She was just barely sixteen, and she had never been in love before... but neither had he. Not until he had seen her.

He had told himself that it didn't matter if she loved him in return, not as long as she kept dating him, as long as he was still her boyfriend. She genuinely did care about him, and maybe love would come in time, for her. All he knew was that he couldn't stop loving her, that everything she was made him love her.

Then she grinned, and the joy he saw on her face made him melt a little. "I feel the same way," she said. "I love you too."

"You do?" Ned could hardly believe it.

"Yeah." She squeezed his hand. "I do. If that's what love means. Thinking about you all the time, wanting to be around you... wishing that the movie would never end just so we could keep holding each other that way. I'm so happy that my heart hurts."

"Me too," Ned told her, leaning down to brush his lips against hers. They kissed again and again, and when they broke apart, she laughed happily. To Ned, she had never looked more beautiful.

Then she touched the clover charm again. "I am lucky," she told him. "An amazing guy loves me. And every time I look at this I'll think about tonight and how happy I am. Ned..."

Then they kissed again, and the world became just the two of them again, and more happiness than his heart could possibly contain.

All too soon, the party was over. Nancy and Ned reluctantly rose and folded the blanket together, moving slowly, wishing their time together wouldn't end. They had walked into the party holding hands; they walked out with Ned's arm around Nancy's shoulders, and her arm slung around his waist. Ned glanced down at the clover charm and couldn't help smiling.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?"

She shook her head slightly. "Because I'm wearing your necklace?" she asked softly.

He shook his head. "You're always beautiful," he said. "Every time I see you. When I saw you in your prom dress, when that bad guy pushed you in the lake and you were drenched and mad enough to punch someone. When you went out with me on our first date, and when we were caught in that quicksand. And that was one of the ways I knew I had to be in love with you."

She smiled. "Like how you always seem so confident and so completely charming," she told him. "And so handsome."

His heart warmed again. "Thanks," he murmured. "I'm glad you think so."

He drove her home, and even though he went below the posted speed limit, they still arrived far sooner than he wanted. The porch light was still on, and Ned walked her to her front door. Their steps were slow, and joined hands, fingers interlaced, swung gently between them.

Even though it was late, they still spoke in soft whispers. "I love you," he told her, standing on the mat at the front door, facing her and gazing deeply into her blue eyes.

"I love you," she whispered, sliding her arms up over his shoulders. He very badly wanted to gather her into his arms and hold her close, but instead he leaned down, brushing his lips against hers before kissing her deeply. He knew she had to be tired, but she responded to him eagerly, combing her fingers through his hair. He gave a lock of her own silky reddish-gold hair a gentle tug as he broke the kiss.

"Still on for the movie tomorrow?"

She smiled and nodded. "Definitely," she murmured, cupping his cheek. She brushed her thumb gently against his lips, soft as a kiss. "I'll be thinking of you every second we're apart."

"And I will be too," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her again.

The porch light was still on at his parents' house too, and Ned parked, stifling a yawn as he pocketed his keys and headed into the house. He couldn't help it; he imagined that one day he might come home to a place he and Nancy shared, that when he pulled back the covers and slid between the sheets, she would be waiting for him. After he had prepared for bed, though, his room was empty. He pulled out his phone to charge it, and found a message from Nancy waiting.

When he pulled it up, he found the symbol of a four-leaf clover and a heart. _Good night, love. Sweet dreams._

_They always are, with you in them. Love you, and I'll see you soon._

\--

"What's this?" Julie looked up from her placemat, her blue eyes bright. Her mother was making her favorite for breakfast, peanut butter toast with banana. But at her place, Julie saw something strange. A velvet box with a bow on top. Daddy had given Mama one of these at Christmas.

Daddy sat down beside Julie and smoothed her dark hair, the same as his. "A present."

"For me?" Julie squealed a little, grinning as she clapped her hands together.

Mommy sat down on the other side of the table, putting Julie's cup of milk and her breakfast in front of her. The sunlight made her hair look like gold was in it, and her belly was getting big. Mommy and Daddy had said that her little brother or sister was growing in there.

And Julie was already excited. It was her first day of preschool. She would be meeting other kids and playing and _having adventures_ , and she couldn't wait.

"Go ahead. Open it."

Julie reached for the box and opened it after an unsuccessful try. A pretty silver clover was on a chain inside. Julie grinned, then glanced between her parents. Mommy had a necklace like this.

"I gave your mommy a necklace like this one because I wanted her to always be lucky, and I always wanted her to come home safe," Daddy said. "And Mommy and I are giving you that today because we want you to be lucky and safe and happy."

"And because we love you," Mommy said, and Daddy reached for her hand across the table. "We love you so much, little jewel. You're such a big girl and we're so proud of you."

Julie's heart felt strangely heavy, but light at the same time. She was warm with happiness. "I love you," she told her parents. "I'll come home. It's so pretty." She tugged at it a little, but it was stuck in the box somehow. "Can you put it on for me?"

Her father nodded. "Try not to lose it, okay? I know you'll be careful. You're a big girl." She saw the lump in his throat go up and down when he put the necklace on her. "We'll miss you today, Jules."

"Miss you too, Daddy." She came out of her chair and put her arms around him, hugging him tight and closing her eyes when he hugged her too. Then she came around to her mother and hugged her too before giving her tummy a little pat. "I'll miss you, Mommy."

Mommy's eyes were bright, and she gave Julie a long hug and kissed the top of her head. "You're the sweetest girl in the whole world," she whispered. "And the bravest. Just stay safe, okay?"

Julie nodded.

"And eat your breakfast." Her mother smiled and sniffled, brushing her hand under her eye. "I made your favorite."

Her mother and father _both_ took her to preschool that morning. Preschool was a big reddish-brown building, and kids were running up to it, carrying backpacks and lunchboxes, big grins on their faces. They looked happy and excited. Julie's insides felt like they were vibrating a little, and she was both excited and a little scared. She'd be away from Mommy and Daddy, and Hannah and Grandma and Grandpa and Papa, and everyone else she knew. It was scary and neat at the same time.

Daddy picked her up and kissed her forehead. "I know you can't, but... try to stay out of trouble, all right? Stay where you can see the teacher, whenever you can. Have fun. I love you, baby girl, and I'll see you soon."

She nodded at him, very seriously. "I love you, Daddy."

Mommy came over and smoothed her hair, and Julie reached for her too, giving her a hug. "I love you so much, sweetheart. I'll miss you today."

"Don't be sad." Julie's lower lip poked out. Her mother's eyes were shining. "Don't cry. It'll be okay."

Mommy gave her a smile. "It will be okay," she agreed. "I can't believe my baby's already going to preschool. Oh..."

Julie hugged both her parents at the same time, and then they walked inside holding her hands, helping her find her classroom. It was a big, sunny room, and Julie saw so many things around the room that she gasped in happy delight. Some easels, some blocks, bins and paper and pencils and markers, and _so many books,_ all where she could reach them. The teacher was a woman with dark curly hair who smiled a lot, and she wore a long dress with big dots in different colors on it. She reminded Julie, just a little, of her Aunt George.

"I'll see you at lunch. Okay? Are you going to be okay?"

Julie nodded. "Okay, Mommy. Be safe."

Her mother sniffled like she was going to cry, and Julie patted her arm. Then her mother hugged her again, and Julie closed her eyes and breathed her in. Mommy smelled like sweet and flowers and—home. And seeing her mommy cry made Julie want to cry, and she didn't know why. She would be home for lunch. It wasn't for a whole day or a week. She didn't think it was, anyway.

Mommy wiped her eyes and gave her a smile. "I know," she said, and kissed Julie's forehead. She gently touched the little clover necklace. "All right. Be good, sweetheart. I'll see you soon."

Julie nodded, sniffling too. Mommy didn't want to be away from her, and Julie didn't want to be away from her mommy or her daddy either. But the teacher came over and took her hand, saying that she was Miss Ellen and they were going to have a fun day together.

Julie nodded, then glanced back. Her mother and father were standing just outside, holding hands, and then they waved to her. Julie waved back, then touched her new necklace.

"I want you to meet a new friend. Julie, this is Zaria. Julie's a new student. Think you can show her around?"

Julie grinned at Zaria, and for a minute she forgot. Then she looked back. Another mom and child were coming in. Her parents weren't in sight anymore.

For a second Julie's lower lip wobbled, but she straightened herself up and pressed her lips together. She was going to be brave like Mommy and strong like Daddy. And they would be proud of her.

"Hi, Zaria," she said, and smiled. "Your hair is pretty."

"I like your necklace," Zaria said, and reached for Julie's hand. "Wanna paint?"

Julie nodded and walked with her new friend without looking back again. She was going to have so many adventures—and tell Mommy and Daddy all about them soon.

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally published elsewhere (see my About Me link for more information). If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving feedback! :)


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